Desecation - Left To The Trogs - 2024

 Desecation first caught my attention for being so young while still pumping out such a mature sounding brutal death EP two years ago with self-titled "Desecation", which I briefly talked about HERE.

Since then, just following them on social media and their youtube presence, it is clear that they are young but taking this very serious and being themselves, not trying to change anything about what they bring to the table.  Being original with their sound.  

Also, they are surrounded by and playing shows with legends like Cephalotripsy, Disgorge, Vulnificus, Condemned and many more.

When they started to give previews and glimpses of this new album, I was beyond pumped, and now I get to sit down and listen.

Album artwork by legendary Jon Zig

"Left To The Trogs" opens with a disturbing sample that I recognized from a long time ago.  From a scene that definitely stays with you if you ever saw it.  It is from a Kurt Russell movie about 10 years ago, called "Bone Tomahawk."  A scene in which a man is help down and scalped and then held upside down and hawked in two.  It's just lovely! Check the scene out HERE.

The audio from this scene perfectly sets the tone for the next 20 minutes.  An unforgiving onslaught of raw, original BDM with each element of the music getting its proper showcase.  Production is clear yet perfectly raw. 

Guitars are a delightful mix of fuzzy and crunchy, musicianship is tight and steadily marching to and from heavy slams and catchy riffs.  The riffs seem slightly more technical here than on "Desecation".  Excited to watch how this young band keeps growing and progressing.    

Vocals throughout this album are diverse.  Nasty gargling gutturals with the occasional pig squealing and sometimes your basic death growl.  Every method done with confidence and a gravely delivery that sounds well-honed.   Drummer is crazy, detailed fills with a lot going on under the surface.

I have been paying attention to Desecation since I first found them.  A decent amount of live footage is already on youtube and they have that "thing."  They just feel like the complete package.  Hoping to catch them live soon.  Check out a video of the band performing at Angel Ochoa's (Cephalotripsy) Birthday party:

Most of their live videos show three members, and they are listed as a 3-piece band, but I believe this video is their full band line-up:

Todd Novoa - Guitars

Marc Novoa - Guitars, Vocals

Alex Sisko - Vocals

Nate Gonzalez - Drums, Vocals

Sam Little - Bass

Overall, I am LOVING this new offering from this young, still up-and-coming California band!

Will be spinning this allllll day!!

"Left To The Trogs" will be released January 23rd, 2024 via BrutalMind.

Check out "Inducing Cognitive Paralysis" from the album HERE

Interview with Arvin Palma of Tortured Palm Art - 2012

You buy a disgusting, graphic, beautifully detailed and gory t-shirt from your favorite brutal death metal band.  You proudly wear the shirt to school/church and you are surprised at the lack of questions you get about it.  People are too thrown off or possibly offended to look past what they perceive as gross and offensive.  The art itself is under appreciated.  This is brutal death metal.  The art that goes along with it is beautiful and full of passion and hard work.  This is the first interview in a series of artist interviews with the purpose to further expose these artists and show what they do.  Please share!

Arvin Palma is a 22 year old Filipino who creates art under the name Tortured Palm Art.



"I do Artworks.  T-shirt designs, Logo, Cover art.. as long as you trust me.. I will do my best!"

——————————————————————————————————————


Cerebral Reviewment-  Hello Arvin, thanks for taking the time to talk with me!  Could you please tell everyone a brief history of you and how you got into drawing?

Arvin Palma-  FIRST OF ALL, GOOD DAY CEREBRAL REVIEWMENT!  I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS INTERVIEW.  AS I REMEMBERED SINCE I WAS A KID I ALREADY DREW BUT IT WAS ONLY FOR FUN.  I WAS 6 WHEN I STARTED DRAWING CURVES AND LINES TO FORM SOMETHING FROM MY MIND.  NOW MY WORKS ARE WAY DIFFERENT.  IT’S NOW RELATED TO MY KIND OF MUSIC AND THAT’S BRUTAL DEATH METAL.  AND THAT’S HOW I STARTED UNTIL TODAY. HOPE TO DO MORE SICK BRUTAL ARTWORKS AND IMPROVE MY SKILLS. ‘COZ IM STILL LEARNING.




The Gurchick Tree

CR-  Have you always done brutal/gore art?

AP-  TO BE HONEST I WAS JUST A YEAR OR TWO DOING ARTWORKS THAT’S WHY I ALWAYS GRAB EVERY OPPORTUNITY I GOT IF SOMEBODY WILL HIT ME UP FOR A DESIGN OR SOMETHING.  I ALSO DRAW SATANIC ARTWORKS.  I’M A FREELANCE ARTIST I DO ONLY BLACK AND WHITE I DO LOGOS AS WELL.

CR-  What are some things that influence you while drawing?

AP-  ABSOLUTELY YES! METAL MUSIC!  BRUTAL, DEATH, GRIND, BLACK AND THRASH!  AND ALSO SEEING THE WORKS OF MY FAVORITE ARTIST SUCH AS MIKE MAJEWSKI, MARK RIDDICK AND CHRIS MOYEN! THEY ARE MY INFLUENCES. ESPECIALLY, IN BLACK AND WHITE ART DEPARMENT.

CR-  What is some of your favorite music to draw to?

AP-  MOSTLY I DRAW ARTWORKS FOR BRUTAL BANDS WHEN I WAS STARTING.  BUT NOW I DO SOME DARK AND SATANIC ARTWORKS.  I’M NOT CHOOSY, AS LONG AS WE GET ALONG WELL AND THEY ARE INTERESTED WITH MY WORKS.  AND WE WORK SMOOTH.



Sevared Records




CR-  In your opinion, can brutal art ever go too far or be too gross?

AP-  FOR SOME PEOPLE THIS KIND OF ART IS NOT ART AND THEY WILL JUST SAYS IT’S GROSS!  NASTY!  BUT FOR THOSE WHO REALLY APPRECIATE ART THESE KIND OF WORKS ARE AWESOME.  MOSTLY MY PATRONIZERS ARE MY FRIENDS AND THE BANDS LOCAL AND FOREIGN.  OH!  MY MOM IS ONE OF MY GREAT FANS ALSO. LOL

CR-  What is a favorite piece of yours?

AP-  I REALLY LOVE EVERY PIECE I MADE.  BECAUSE IT’S THE FRUIT OF MY HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO BRUTAL DEATH METAL.  BUT IF I WAS TO CHOOSE MY ACES ARE THE ARTWORK FOR ATROCIOUS ABNORMALITY (STEVE GREEN OF COMATOSE MUSIC), DISFIGURED (TEXAS), AND MY VERY FIRST COVER ART SCREWROT (ISRAEL). FOR ME THOSE ARE MY BEST WORKS SO FAR!



Atrocious Abnormality






Disfigured






Screwrot




CR-  Do you have a dream band that you have always want to draw for?

AP-  OF COURSE I DO! I REALLY WANNA DO ART FOR MY FAVORITE BRUTAL BANDS: DEVOURMENT, ABOMINABLE PUTRIDITY, CONDEMNED, CEPHALOTRIPSY!

CR-  I know the Philippines has a pretty good brutal death metal scene and the brutal art going along with all the music seems to be getting better and better. More less known artists are popping up all over the place. Are there a lot of artists doing this sort of art where you are?

AP-  YEAH!  BRUTAL DEATH METAL SCENE IS RISING NOW HERE IN PHILIPPINES AND I’M VERY GLAD FOR IT!  LOTS OF SICK BANDS GETTING DISCOVERED.  THERE ARE FEW ARTISTS I KNOW HERE.  THE MOST KNOWN IS THE MIGHTY BIN BAUTISTA (BRAINDRAINED) AND MY HOMIE PRIX (PRIXTOI MADNESS ART) THEY ARE THE ONLY ARTIST I KNOW HERE.  AND ALSO ME MYSELF! HAHA!



Autonomy


CR-  Anything you would like to say to fans or aspiring artists?

AP-  I WANNA SHOUT KEEP ON WORKING ON YOUR SHIT AND NEVER STOP THE DREAM!  WORK HARD, PRACTICE, AND DEDICATION IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS REALLY THE KEY!  I’M NOT THAT GOOD BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THESE THINGS TO THE ARTIST OUT THERE LIKE ME.  KEEP IT BRUTAL MY FRIENDS!

LASTLY, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT INTERVIEW!  I’M VERY GLAD FOR THIS! YOU GOT MY SUPPORT MAN. THANKS AGAIN AND CHEERS!

HORNS UP!!! \M/



CR-  Thanks a lot man!

SUPPORT TORTURED PALM!

Interview with Jaymes Grundmann of Expurgate - 2011

Inherited Suffering Records is a label based in Russia (correct me if I’m wrong) that is strictly dedicated to brutal slamming death metal.  So far they have an absolutely incredible roster and with Expurgate being one of their new signings, they just keep getting better.  Also worth mentioning is Inherited Suffering’s organized and easy to navigate website, a concept that seems strangely hard to grasp for most independent labels.  Go CHECK IT OUT.

Anyway, Expurgate is a very young four piece out of Denver, Colorado who describe themselves as ‘Slamming Guttural Brutal Death’, they sound just how that makes them sound, and you wouldn’t think they were so young.



I am very, very excited for this group to mature even further than they have and I think we will be hearing some very, very good things from them!

Below is a brief interview with vocalist Jaymes Grundmann

Cerebral Reviewment-  Could you tell us the history of Expurgate?

Jaymes Grundmann-  Expurgate began as a drum machine project with Devin (bass) and I during a malt liquor soaked drinking binge.  A good amount of the material was written during that time and after months of searching we had finally found Ian (guitar) and Joe (Ex-drummer)… Got a set together and started playing a bunch of shitty bar shows in front of 5 people…Recorded the promo, got signed to Inherited Suffering records, parted ways with Joe, got our new drummer Chris, played New Jersey Death Fest and now we’re finishing up our first album in the studio

CR-  How old are you guys?

JG-  Devin, Ian and I are 19, Chris is 21…the band itself is only a little over a year old but we have all been in different local acts over the years.

CR-  How is the BDM scene in Denver?

JG-  Completely non-existent hahaha… Denver has a GREAT crust grind scene, but…as you’d guess, the whole crust grind crowd isn't too into guttural slam…some good bands to check out are Disease Called Human, Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire, Death of Self, Condemned Remains, Execration, Whore Grinder, Zombie Hate Brigade and Vomit God.

CR-  Have you all lived in Denver your whole lives?

JG-  Yes, not gonna change any time soon.

CR-  Who are some of your favorite vocalists?

JG-  SHO-GUN from Disconformity, Rob Solberg from Digested Flesh, Angel Ochoa from Condemned and Cephalotripsy, Will Caruso from Dysentery and K.P. Ripper from Screaming Afterbirth.

CR-  What does the future hold for Expurgate?

JG-  Our first full length Dementia Tremens should be released in the next few months…We will also be playing Las Vegas Death Fest next summer with hopefully a few west coast shows booked around it….Thanks for the interest in Expurgate man, and thanks for the interview.

Thanks a lot to Jaymes and Expurgate for the interview and I can’t wait to see what you guys do!!!

EXPURGATE

INHERITED SUFFERING

Condemned - Realms of The Ungodly - 2011 Unique Leader Records

San Diego, California's  Condemned is back with an amazing album. It has already received tons of praise and I am about to give it more.

 The first eerie, ambient track, ‘Eirgmos.. Adious..’ has a fittingly epic feel to accompany Condemned’s long awaited return. It feels evil. With ‘Ere The Dark Sovereign’- vocalist Angel Ochoa immediately proves he is back and has somehow gotten even better with his unexplainable and awesome ability to enunciate his gutturals so well. 

Cool, interesting stop and go sort of riffs throughout this track set the mood for whole album with a new style for Condemned. They are each writing great parts and taking it very seriously. Great parts, great songs. The quality of this recording is miles from “Desecrate the Vile".   It’s also better than most brutal death metal these days. It is mixed so very well. I suggest headphones for a truly amazing experience.

‘Baptismal Incineration Upon Simonists’ - Bass, drums and the guitar all flawlessly flow into and through this track, moving as a fast, disgusting, brutal creature kept under control and taking cues from the vocals.   At 1:30 Obie Flett graces us with his vocals.    Most albums with guest vocal spots in this genre do a horrible job in my opinion, either the vocalists are just too far apart in style or you literally can not hear the difference.  Realms, however, does an awesome job with both guest vocals.  Each one is audibly different from Condemned's Angel Ochoa but beautifully within the styling of the track, becoming more of a pleasant and impressive punctuation rather than a distraction.

‘Catharsis of Human Impurity’ is a nonstop assault of quick guitar riffs and perfectly placed, groovy harmonics. A prime example of Angel’s range can be heard at 1:25.

 ‘Embodied in Elms of Eternal Misery’ has an awesome dissonant strummed chord that keeps returning and the drums are just off the wall creative. The guitars start a descending melodic riff that leads to my favorite outro thus far.
‘Realms of The Ungodly’ is a favorite track for me.  Condemned are more brutal on this album while keeping their slow parts more creative and somehow everything sounds more original.  This album has the feel of a passionate, fresh debut of a brand new band.  Starts by pounding you into the ground and then slows down and helps you up with a great groovy breakdown.  A guitar solo then seems to come out of nowhere, with a very slippery feel accompanied by amazing drumming.  The very last vocal part of this track is exactly why this vocalist is looked up to by just about everyone.  It sounds as though his throat really is a toilet.  A toilet…with words instead of turds.

‘Forged Within Lecherous Offerings’ hit us hard with some welcome, more straightforward, slammy riffs and longer single note melodies give this song a good old Condemned feel. 

‘Divine Order of Babylon’ has outstanding drums and a steady pounding feel that ends quite suddenly.  ‘Manipulated For Servitude’ is an impressive display of creative songwriting with the way the guitar is playing with/within the drums, which are very innovative and are peppered with snares and cymbal crashes, at times reminding me of Cephalic Carnage.  Everything is so perfectly balanced that even if this song were not brilliantly written, you'd be hard pressed to complain.
‘Submerged Unto Phlegethon’- I love the fact that I can actually follow along with the lyrics, which are, by the way, really great and should be paid attention to just as much as the music,  for they are part of it.   By far one of my favorites on this record. It is also the longest song, at five and a half minutes and the last two minutes or so are just as epic as everything else seemed to foreshadow.  Perfect ending to this masterpiece!

Please listen with headphones and follow along with the lyrics.
The music is amazing, the art is amazing, the lyrics are amazing. Now I just need it on vinyl!

PURCHASE THE ALBUM HERE

ZIG

TONY KOEHL